The present invention relates to a connecting device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a connecting device for connecting power source electrodes.
In general, in order to increase a capacity of a power source, a plurality of power sources is connected at power source electrodes thereof. Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional connecting device for connecting electrode posts of a plurality of batteries configured as the power source. The conventional connecting device disclosed in Patent Reference includes a flexible conductive member with a short band shape and a connecting member with an L character shape fixed to both end portions of the flexible conductive member. The connecting member has a connecting hole. When the conventional connecting device is attached, the connecting member is positioned such that the electrode post passes through the connecting hole. Then, a nut is fitted on the electrode post protruding from the connecting hole to fix the connecting member to the electrode post. Finally, the flexible connective member is disposed to connect the electrode posts with the connecting member fixed thereto.    Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-125301
In the conventional connecting device disclosed in Patent Reference for connecting the electrode posts disposed in the battery, when the electrode posts are shifted with each other, it is configured such that the flexible conductive member of the conventional connecting device follows the shift, thereby making it possible to easily deal with the shift of the electrode posts.
In the conventional connecting device disclosed in Patent Reference, however, it is necessary to pass the electrode post of the battery through the connecting hole, and further tighten the nut on the electrode post. In other words, it is necessary to use the nut as a separate component. In general, in order to increase the capacity of the power source, a large number of the batteries are connected at the power source electrodes thereof. Accordingly, it is difficult to efficiently connect the batteries.
As other measure to increase the capacity of the power source, a plurality of batteries is connected as a unit, and the unit is provided with a mating electrode connector. Accordingly, it is possible to connect a plurality of the units, thereby increasing the capacity of the power source. In this case, it is necessary to connect the conventional connecting device to the mating electrode connector of the unit. However, with the configuration of the mating conventional connecting device disclosed in Patent Reference, it is difficult to collectively connect the units.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a connecting device for connecting power source electrodes. In the connecting device of the present invention, it is possible to easily connect the power source electrodes through a relatively simple operation and a small number of components while being capable of dealing with a shift of the power source electrodes of the mating electrode connector disposed in the units of the power source.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.